Amsterdam to close many brothels, marijuana cafes

Associated Press ^ | December 2, 2008 | Toby Sterling

[BlueStateBlues]

This will just make the “coffee” shops that stay (ummmmm, “cofffffeeeee”) that much more crowded. And busier prostitutes with less time on their, ah, hands.

[Huskrrrr]

Wham! Bam! Ol’ Amsterdam!

[rochester_veteran]

I visited A'dam a few times in the later 1970's. The old town itself is pretty cool with the old buildings and the canals. The red light district was quite an eye opener. The prostitutes would sit in store front windows:

There were hash and pot "coffee houses" all over the place:

[org.whodat]

They are called Libertarians, the little, annoying ankle biters.

LOL

[IronJack]

a tolerant and crazy place, rather than a free zone for criminals"

A distinction without a difference.

[Mojave]

They are called Libertarians, the little, annoying ankle biters.

Most of them will claim to be libertarians rather than Libertarians. Kinda like how leftists like to be called progressives.

[MaggieAtlanta]

Jeeza. Is nothing sacred anymore???

[Niuhuru]

Or librarians.

[Sherman Logan]

Most of them will claim to be libertarians rather than Libertarians.

Let's be fair now.

A Libertarian means a member of the Libertarian Party.

A libertarian means someone who holds libertarian beliefs.

[SouthTexas]

There goes the vacation plans.

[Mojave]

A Libertarian means a member of the Libertarian Party. A libertarian means someone who holds libertarian beliefs.

Sorta like the difference between a Communist and a communist. Membership makes the difference!

[FormerLib]

Wasn't the legalization of prostitution and decriminalization of certain drugs supposed to end the influence of organized crime? Someone better let the folks in this nation who make that claim know that it just doesn't work!

[Hacksaw]

Amsterdam unveiled plans Saturday to close brothels, sex shops and marijuana cafes in its ancient city center as part of a major effort to drive organized crime out of the tourist haven.

WHAT? I thought if all this stuff was legalized it would re-create the Garden of Eden. I guess I'll have to re-think my switch to the Libertarian Party. Of course, maybe they just didn't make ENOUGH vices legal, like bestiality and public defecation.

[SuziQ]

I thought if these industries were legalized it would automatically drive organized crime out of them.

That's what the folks trying to legalize them here keep telling us.

[Hacksaw]

Dope use generates crime. Who would have thunk it?

The Libertarians will tell you that it's just because the right people aren't doing the dope.

[Hacksaw]

The prostitutes would sit in store front windows:

Nice to look at, but I don't think I could ever feel comfortable putting "myself" where 1000's of other men have been. I suppose they are screened for disease, but seems way too dicey. I guess I'd have to be extremely drunk, and I don't even do that any more (just nicotine and coffee today).

[Young Werther]

No More Hookers or Hookahs!

[Ol' Sparky]

More evidence that the liberaltarian belief that drugs and prostitution should be legal wouldn’t harm society. Allowing either diminishes the quality of life for everyone.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Amsterdam is a major blow against the doctrine that if we are open and encouraging with gross immorality then we will reduce or eliminate crime crime.

[Cicero]

Lots of luck. The center of historic Amsterdam has been stuffed full of drugs, prostitutes, porn shops, and other criminal activities for at least 60 years. I don’t know what it was like before World War II, but it’s been a pervert’s dream at least since the 50s.

Too bad. It was a beautiful city.